The End of The Tunnel
by Yitani East
Summary: Sequel to "Silent and Altruistic". The Ball is underway. Link and Tzeros finally get to see each other again. For a while all seems well, until Sheik gets some devasting news. Tzeros comes up with a plan to make it all better.
1. An Angel

_Hello again my friends and readers! This is my sequel and I hope you enjoy it. Provided you my feel a bit of "wtf" throughout. It's bound to be a little more light hearted than it's predecessor but I hope you will enjoy it. I don't own Zelda as you can probably guess but y'know one disclaimer per story may as well get it over with. _

_Anyway read on, I'm sure you'll like it._

An Angel

As told by Tzeros

Tzeros

You ever have one of those moments when the wind is just knocked out of you? Not by a punch but something like being told amazing news or seeing someone you haven't seen in forever? You hate it at first but then it become the arguably the best moment of your life. I will always look on this day with a smile on my face. Nabooru knows when I'm thinking about it and she always laughs.

"You're such a lovesick fool." She says with a laugh and a shake of her head. I can't decide if my dear cousin is more of a sister or a mother but I'd say it depends on the day. She helped me adjust to the ways of the desert. My mother left The Fortress after falling in love with a Hylian. My grandmother practically disowned her. Her wish, though, was for me to go back to my desert roots. I was surprised to be welcomed with open arms. My mother would've been happy to see how much their attitude toward the rest of the world has changed.

For Gerudo, same gender relationships are perfectly normal. I'd always considered myself something as an outcast for liking other men. We spent most of our lives far away from Hyrule and everyone pretty much had the same point of view. The Sheikah and the Gerudo did it so it must be bad. I tell you though...when I saw him...

...There was nothing wrong about it.

After staying at the compound for a year, I finally found myself falling into a nice and peaceful routine. I was on the guard and currently teaching younger children their way around a bo staff. I had just celebrated my nineteenth birthday. My housemates had gotten me drunk for the first time and I was still living down the fact that am indeed a very jovial and slightly touchy-feely drunk. I was in the middle of my shift at the post over the Sand River or "Haunted Wasteland" as outsiders called it, when Jakil and Faren, male and female respectively both of the guard, came running up to me. First they were breathless leaning on each other in an exaggerated fashion and then they saluted.

"At ease." I said peering at them a little strangely. They fell against each other again. "What are you in such a hurry to tell me? You look like you just ran to Lake Hylia and back."

"We" gasp "were" gasp "told" gasp "to tell you" gasp...this was getting a bit ridiculous.

"Is it an emergency?" Faren shook her head. "Is it important?" Jakil held up a hand indicating "kinda". I sighed in frustration. "Okay both of you sit." They obliged. I out ranked them by three seats. While I don't like bragging, for only being there a year, that was a pretty big deal. I let them catch their breath and I handed them my canteen. Between the two they drank all of it. Faren got her bearings first.

"He'va," our commanding officer, "sent us to give you a message."

"Well, I already figured that." I replied quirking an eyebrow. I was getting a little irritated.

"An ambassador from Hyrule Castle is coming." Jakil said quickly.

"Really? So soon? The free trade agreement was just passed." I said placing my zanbatou back over my shoulder. Faren shrugged.

"Princess Zelda is quicker on the uptake than her father." she replied handing me back my empty canteen. Giving a pointed stare back at her I sighed and moved up the the ladder.

"Well, I guess I should start making the necessary preparations." I said with a sigh. "It wouldn't have killed you guys to tell me earlier. Dismissed." The twins ran off and I climbed up the ladder where Ginta was at the watch tower, keeping a look out for airborne enemies. "Ginta. We have a Hylian dignitary visiting." I told her. "So lock the gate and no passage unless expressly given.

"Yes sir." She saluted me with more gusto than necessary. "Should we seal the entrance to the temple?" I figured that would be a good idea. We may have been trying to make peace with Hyrule, but even they keep their holy places out of reach from foreigners.

"Yeah go ahead and call him." Ginta put a whistle to her lips and blew a soundless call out into the sound river and kept blowing until Guide Poe Bahkram appeared.

"You blow so loud, you sting the ears! How may I be of service my beckoning peers?" I hate how that things talks. Really I do.

"We have a visitor." I said firmly. "A dignitary from Hyrule Castle."

"Ooh, an old stuffed shirt from abroad. Grant him access and I'll leave him reconsidering under the sod." Bahkram said with a gleeful flip. I grimaced.

"You'll do no such thing." I waved him of in the middle of his little aerial show. "He is not permitted to even so much as lay eyes on the Spirit Temple but if he does happen to so wander into the Sand River if guard is low, you will lead him back here. Alive. "

"No fun at the old goat's expense? With all his pretenses, it doesn't make sense. I miss the days when we wanted the Hylians to fall. You're no fun, Tzeros, no fun at all." With a disappointed huff, the poe vanished into the sandstorm beyond the gate. It was true at one point, the Gerudo and Hylians had nothing but animosity for each other. But this was a time line without Ganondorf, so the rebellion succeeded against a weaker ruler. Stay tuned on that one, that's where is gets confusing.

"Oh look, that must be him." Ginta said casually peering over the railing behind me. I turned in time to see the exact opposite of my expectations. "Wow, he's nothing like the normal council members."

This was the punch-in-the-chest moment. Even from my high vantage point, I could see Link's face clearly. At the time, I had no idea who he was. Without giving any orders, I climbed down the ladder to get a closer look with Ginta shouting behind me wondering where I was going. I felt the need to get closer to him yet unnerved by this nagging though wonderful feeling. It was like finally seeing someone special to me after years and years.

To anyone else, he wasn't really remarkable in any way. He was a little on the scrawny side. Most Hylian men were a little about six feet, he was about 5'9"...10" at the most. He was pale and had the remnants of bags under his eyes. To me, he was like an angel. I thought the King of Hyrule had sent a denizen of The Great Fairy to us instead of an ambassador. Nabooru broke every rule of public decorum when she saw him.

"Link!" She cried happily as he dismounted from his horse. She flung her arms around him. She stepped back to look at him. "Lady of the Sand, boy, you haven't grown an inch!" She smacked him on his back so hard, he almost fell over. She ruffled his hair and she found herself getting sentimental. "You look...better." She said quietly. "Did you find what you were looking for?" Link gave her a small smile.

"I found m-my way home." He replied. Nabooru kissed his cheek and wrapped an arm around him leading him into the main compound. I stood slack jawed and dizzy with happy confusion. I didn't know what I was feeling but I loved it. I wanted to chase after him. Deep down, I knew him. We'd been connected somehow. I just knew it. I searched my memory for anything, trying to recall where I knew him from. My family had traveled so many places...I was bound to have seen him. Why else would I feel this way? Unfortunately digging through my memories only had me asking more questions: I've heard of it, but I've never set foot in the Water Temple .

I was well out of peripheral range of his eyes but I could tell he felt it too. He even stopped and looked around for a moment. Before I could even decided whether to duck and run or speak up, He'va grabbed me and smacked me on the back of my head. What is it with women and hitting?

"Why are you just standing there, boy? Who told you to leave your post?" She said. She grabbed my ear and twisted it roughly forcing a squawk of pain from me. "Answer wisely." She made it sound like she was going to kill me or something. She wouldn't kill me but she could make me wish she had. She twisted my ear one more time before I could reply.

"Is it a crime to greet the ambassador?" My voice must've climbed a good octave.

"No, but it is a crime to abandon your post just to stare at him." She finally let me up and I took a moment to nurse my burning ear.

"Was I that obvious?" I asked sheepishly. Commander He'va replied with only a look and it just made me feel worse. She laughed at my reaction. At first, I wondered if she was reminiscing about younger days. I imagine she was much nicer back then.

From that moment on, Link possessed my thoughts. We hadn't even spoken to each other yet. I wasn't expecting to see Link for the remainder of his stay. Though he was young, I assumed he was trained by the usual stuffed-shirts of Hylian Nobility. I figured he would stay in his quarters and eat alone only to later insist to Nabooru that he wasn't being rude he simply wasn't used to such a lively crowd. Like our old allies, the Gorons, everyone in the fortress eats together. It's widely believed in our culture that people bond best over a meal. I haven't ever seen proof to the contrary. Music comes with a meal in Gerudo Fortress and that normally leads to dancing depending on your mood or how drunk you are.

After my shift, I bathed and joined Ginta, Faren and Jakil at the fire. The prayer hadn't been made yet so we had to wait for Nabooru to give the blessing. Ginta was the first to pick up on my brooding. I was still trying to remember where I saw Link before all I got were flashes of blue walls and a blue light, a fairy, flying around my head. Amid my brain-wraking, I noticed a rise in conversation and found Nabooru crossing into The Circle and to everyone's pleasant surprise, Link had joined her. It seemed like Hyrule was really trying this time and it seemed he fit right in. Nabooru had him sit right next to her. I noticed other people around the circle seemed to recognize him.

"My children." Nabooru said holding up a hand to quiet the general conversation. "Let us give thanks for our the food we are about to receive..." she held out that same hand to Link. "...and the return of our very dear friend, Link." We all placed our hands on the ground and bowed giving a silent prayer of thanks. I spared my religious respect to glance at Link. I was surprised to find him bowing as well. He was definitely different from the others. Obviously many people already knew him, they were shaking hands and giving hugs. So I proceeded to engage in the highly inappropriate practice of being nosy as hell.

Kol is one step under Nabooru when it comes to diplomatic matters. He's probably the single most charismatic man in any political situation and the only person to ever beat me in an even match in hand-to-hand combat. Besides Nabooru, he's one of my closest friends. I was considerate enough to wait until Kol had finished eating but determined enough to jump him the minute he got to his feet.

"Do you need something...?" Kol asked noting my uncharacteristic behavior with a puzzled frown.

"I just have a question, that's all." I was trying way too hard to play it cool and Kol instantly picked up on it.

"What's with you? Is everything okay?" He asked ushering me away from the bulk of the crowd.

"I'm...not sure yet." I confessed dejectedly scratching my head.

"Is it about Link?" He asked eying me strangely. His accuracy was perplexing to say the least.

"How did you know?" I asked.

"Something Nabooru said. That's all." Just as I was about to ask what she said, he spoke again. "You weren't here yet when he came to us looking for someone who didn't have a name. He was short...well...he's still short. He was really quiet. He couldn't have been older than twelve but there was obviously _wrong_ with him, if you know what I mean."

"You mean...a trauma or something?"

"Yeah, definitely." Kol replied nodding. "I dunno now though...he looks better, I guess. To be honest, Nabooru didn't even think was going to come back to Hyrule." I found myself smiling in spite of myself.

"I'm glad he did." I said before I could stop myself. Once again, my attraction to men was no secret. Kol's impassive glance went to a frown.

"You just want to get in bed with him." He replied crossing his arms irritably. Angry that he would even suggest I'd risk an international incident to get some action, I punched him in the shoulder a little roughly than I probably should've. "Ow! Goddess! I was kidding!"

"No you weren't." I muttered, still a little pissed. Kol just rubbed his shoulder muttering that I was too sensitive. Yeah. Whatever. With my information in hand, I planned to go back and not end up literally running into Link just as he was being goaded into dancing. But I did and I even grabbed him before he fell.

The punch-in-the-chest hit us both with amplified force. Just as I went to apologize, we made eye contact. He gasped, I would've too if I could breathe. For a second, all I could see was his eyes. His eyes were so gray they looked blue...or maybe the blue was finding it's way through all the gray clouds like the sky after a storm. He tried to speak but couldn't, he suddenly placed a hand on my face as if to make sure I was real.

"Link..." The name came out of my mouth before I could even think of something that made sense. His eyes somehow grew even wider at the sound of it. Tears appeared in the corners of his eyes. He stepped back when I stepped forward. I was still holding on to him. My mind went blank for a split second and suddenly I found our lips pressed together. He kissed me. Not just a peck either. My body didn't seem to want to take orders at the moment and I kissed back. For a few fleeting moments, I was completely euphoric. Then I came to my senses and I pulled him off of me more roughly than I had intended. "Wh...what...?" I tried to ask a question and I might've gotten it out had I not seen the expression of complete and utter horror cross over Link's face. He turned tail and ran back into the compound leaving me more confused than I ever thought possible. Nabooru followed after him calling his name and cursing her "bad ideas" I turned back to find everyone staring at me. After the world's worst awkward silence, Kol was the first to speak.

"What the _hell_ was that?"

I didn't sleep that night. I tried to sort of my thoughts but they were coming too fast for me to even grab hold of them. Link filled my head and and just as the sun rose over the cliffs I came to the conclusion that I wanted nothing more than to see him one more time. But I didn't see Link for over a week and he didn't join us for dinner. Questions were thrown at me the entire time: "Why'd he kiss you?"... "Where did you know him from?" … "Did you two really have sex?" … "Why'd you kiss him back?". I had no answers and everyone thought I was just being coy. The Elders thought I had just caused an international incident. Suddenly in the early morning, Nabooru came to my door before I went on patrol.

"Tzeros, I need to speak to you." She said sounding painfully formal. I dreaded what was about to come. I swear the only thing that kept her from killing me is the fact that I'm her youngest aunt's only child. Sighing, I silently followed her through the halls and into the guest quarters. I didn't dare speak. I figured she was angry with me and we were about to discuss my punishment. When she opened the door, I was surprised to see Link stand from the chair the instant I entered the room.

"I'll leave you two alone." Nabooru said. I could _feel_ her smiling. Link and I stood in silence for a moment.

"I'm sorry." Link said quickly. "I-I-I sh-shouldn't have I-I-I-I..." He was unbelievably flustered and he gave up on speaking all together. Somehow I was suddenly knowledgeable of his speech impediment.

"Hey, hey..." I said touching his shoulder. "Calm down..." He looked back up at me and we had one more moment of extended eye contact. Not that I minded.

"Do...Do you know me?" He asked. "Do y-y-you rem-m-member me?" Unsure of how to answer, I sighed and walked over to the window, leaning on the sill.

"I do know you. I do." I ran a hand through my hair. "But I don't _remember_ you. I'm sorry."

"Oh." Was all Link could say before he sat back down. If words could kill, that'd be all it'd take for me to be on the ground.

"But...That doesn't mean I don't want to see you again." I said in a rush and I was back to not being able to stop myself before I spoke again. "In fact, you've been all I could think about for a week now." I walked over to him and bent down so I could see his face. He looked back up, meeting me halfway. "Can you tell me? Where do we know each other..." Suddenly a revelation hit me. "_When_ did we know each other?"

"I don't know if it's m-my place to s-s-say." He replied uneasily. "It...could be bad." He stood to his feet and paced briefly.

"_Is_ it bad?" I asked. He was remembering something, contemplating. "Is it something I regret?"

"You did reg-g-gret it, yes." Link replied no longer making eye contact with me.

"Did I hurt you?" I asked incredulously. Link looked back up at me and smiled. He shook his head.

"No. In fact, you did quite the opposite." Link approached me again and he looked like he wanted to kiss me. I wouldn't have resisted but he thought better of it much to my dismay. In hindsight, it was too soon. For both of us. "There will be a g-g-athering soon, a celebration, of the new tre-e-eaty." Link said. "A month from now. Will you be there?"

"Yes, he will!" Nabooru called from behind the door. I imagine that if I was pale enough, I'd be the color of a tomato. Link sure was. I shook off her interruption with a sigh before I turned back to his blushing face.

"Even if I don't remember..." I said taking his hand. "I'd like to know you...please?" He didn't respond verbally, he just hugged me. I wrapped my arms around him. _I've done this before. I know I have. _

_ But when? _

Nabooru and I were the only two people who saw him off. It was only sunrise after all. He was armed with a signed draft of the trade agreement and my promise to see him again. Nabooru looked like she couldn't be happier. After Link was out of sight, I turned to her knowing she had something to do with this. She was reluctant for a moment but finally relented after I kept pestering her.

"Honestly, I have no idea where we know him from." She said shaking her head. "I just know that he used to talk in his sleep and he called out your name like he'd never see you again. It'd break your heart to hear it really. I didn't even make the connection until The King sent me that letter telling me who he was sending." She turned to me with a hand on my shoulder. "Where ever he knows you from, you meant a lot to him."

"I know I just want to know..."

"Tzeros." She said clearly before I could even start rambling. She placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. A simple gesture like the from her is surprisingly effective. "Whatever answers you need, you don't have to find out right now, just wait until you see him again."

Easier said than done.

_So what do you think friends? To your liking? I realize a this is different than my previous style but I find it's perfect for the story. As always please review as much as I love the faves and alerts, I love the reviews. I **really** want to know what you guys think. Anyway I love you all and thank you for reading._

_-East_

_Next: Link returns to the castle gets in an argument, learns to dance and then does both at the same time._


	2. I'm Trying

_I am so sorry this took so long. I've been incredibly busy with schoolwork, family, health problems all that jazz. Still I haven't forgotten about this story. It contains yaoi and not Link/Tzeros. That's for later. Like next chapter later. Anyway I chose this particular couple because Sheik is another character I don't see as straight. If you remember I normally pair him with Link. Not to mention I wanted to give you readers a taste of how Hyrule views gay couples. Still I hope you enjoy this chapter._

I'm Trying

As told by Zelda

Zelda

Sheik was the the first to come back from his little trip back to Kakariko. At the time, I had no idea what he was doing there but he'd come back in all sorts of moods. The first time he came you could light him on fire and he'd be too busy sighing like one of the girls from that finishing school my accursed etiquette instructors used to teach at. The second time you could barely talk to him without assuming you were trying to figure out something. The half-day visits became more and more frequent. I wouldn't have minded as much if Link was here to keep me company too. The last visit he had lasted about two days. He came back two days before Link did. I would say he was upset but slamming the door in the face of the person you've been hired to protect is a little more than upset. When night fell, I finally brushed off my irritation of being interrupted by wood and knocked on his door.

"What?" With a response like that, you'd think I was interrogating him.

"Really nice, Sheik. Are you going to continue being like this for the rest of day?" I said pointedly with my hands on my hips. I was answered with silence. "The silent treatment's not going to make me go away." I persisted. I heard him groan. I was breaking him down. I continued my strategy of sustained knocking.

"Alright!" Sheik shouted. He opened the door. He was a mess. I would've laughed if he didn't look so depressed. "What do you want?" He was almost whining. I scrunched my nose at the bitter smell pervading the air.

"Have you been drinking?" I asked. He sighed.

"A little." He admitted with a sigh. He stood aside. "Come in." I spied the two empty wine bottles lying by the bed. "_A little", he says. _I sat on the bed as he tried to make the room a little more presentable. He'd thrown a few things across the room it seemed. Now I was worried.

"I've never seen you like this...what happened?" He sat beside me and sighed. He rubbed his face with his hands as if to make himself a bit more lucid.

"I..." he looked over at a glass bottle, like the ones Link carries, sitting on the end table. I didn't know the significance of it. Yet. "I got in a really _bad_ argument with a very _good_ friend." With the way he was avoiding eye contact, I knew it was more than "bad" but I could tell he wanted to leave it at "bad" and "good friend". In hindsight, I'm glad I didn't push him. "I'm such an idiot." He sighed. He fell against me sighing pitifully. "...I need more wine." I pushed him off me and laid him down.

"No you don't, you need sleep. I'll get you a glass of water." I said going to the pitcher on Sheik's desk. He seemed more interested in looking out of the window than getting remotely sober.

"Hey...Zelda?" He said while I was in mid-pour.

"Hm?"

"Am I a pessimist?" Once again I almost laughed but his depression and the alcohol kept me from doing anything of the sort.

"Honestly?" I prompted. "Kind of, yeah but it comes with your job. Technically, you're still in training though." I handed him the water. "With all the things we've faced that no one remembers...it gets hard you know? I mean...Link..." I sighed at the memory of me, Sheik and one of guards having to hold Link down after trying to _claw _the sound of the bells out of his ears. "It could be worse." I offered. That had become something of a survival mantra for me. "What are we talking about exactly?"

"I really don't think I should say..."

"Is it that bad?" I asked.

"Kind of, yeah." Sheik said with a frown.

"Well if you ever want to tell me...I'll be here okay?" I must've sounded just as rejected as I felt because Sheik sat back up.

"I will Zelda, I promise." He said trying to smile. Unfortunately, it gave way to a frown and he laid back down. "I can tell you though...it feels like I've been burned again." I winced at the memory. "It...hurts." I gave him a comforting hug wishing I could more. There was something important he wasn't telling me but I didn't know what else to say. So I stayed in his room with him until he fell asleep.

Two days Link came back with the strangest look on his face. While the meeting with my father went swimmingly, Link seemed on another astral plane unless he was directly addressed. When Link left the room, my father shook his head mumbling on how strange that boy was some times. The preparations for the ball immediately went underway and I scampered off to find Link who was...big surprise...in the library.

"Hey you, you didn't even say hi." I said finding him by the largest window, in his favorite spot. "What's wrong?"

"Preoccupied?" The unasked question would be "are you buying that excuse at all?" The minute looked at my unamused face, he suddenly didn't want to make eye contact anymore. With a groan, he leaned back and placed the book he was reading over his face.

"You and Sheik are acting so weird." I said depositing myself on the arm of the chair he was sitting in. He moved the book a little and I could see his eyes. He looked back at me puzzled and concerned at the same time, wanting to know what was wrong with Sheik. "I dunno...he's been really mopey lately ever since he came back from Kakariko." This response earned me another quirk of the eyebrow asking me "why?". "He doesn't want to talk about it." I replied. Link let out a sound that had an eerie resemblance to a sarcastic laugh. A sound like that could be translated into a very glum "I know how he feels". "Is there any way I can help?" I asked cautiously. I was missing the same piece of vital information from both of them. Without it, I couldn't really help them. Link opened his mouth but he hesitated.

"What if..." He was trying to figure out how to ask me this question. "What if I...I...needed someone to remember Ganon's rule?" I was flabbergasted for a minute.

"What?" I bleated. I may have overreacted. "Who would want to know that?" He deflated and I immediately felt bad. "I mean, Link, be reasonable...Is it even possible?" I really couldn't say anything else. His defeated expression kicked me in the stomach and I couldn't recover.

"...So..." He tried to speak again with his head bent. "...it's selfish." I don't know how he does it, but Link can break your heart with just a few words. There was a long silence between us as I tried to think of what to say. It only took a few minutes for Link to assume my answer and get to his feet.

"Wait, Link..." I pleaded grabbing him by his arm. He turned to me like a child, not wanting to meet my eyes so I told him to look at me and suddenly like a soldier he snapped his head up. "Do you think it's for the best?"

"We...were close." He replied. "H-he says he kn-nows me. But he doesn't r-remember me." This conversation was starting to sound weird to me. It sounded as if he were speaking of a lover which, at the time, I thought was it was impossible for two men or two women to have a functioning romantic relationship. I'd been taught that by my etiquette teachers that such unions were "wrong".

"Is he sure he wants to remember?" I asked cautiously, letting go of his arm. Link looked back down at the floor again and shrugged. I couldn't think of anything else to say. "Then, ask him."

From that very minute, Link devoted himself to preparing for the upcoming celebration.

Being the incredibly fashion-savvy princess I am, my father was more than happy to place me in charge of The Ball. I invited all the typical people, but I extended the invitation to the inhabitants of Hyrule Castle Town. Unfortunately, that went as expected. Many of them declined for the fear of not having nice enough clothing and jewelry and the tiresome divide between classes. I could individually insist that what they wear didn't matter, but it wouldn't make any difference. I set up correspondence and passage to King Zora and Darunia. They replied that a few dignitaries could attend. As kingdoms go, they were dealing with their own problems. King Zora had his hands full to marry off his daughter The Bitch Fish...ahem...Ruto and Darunia's wife had just had a son.

A week and a half before the ball after a particularly tiresome jaunt through town, I decided to see how my two Second-in-Commands were doing with the preparation of the Ballroom. Halfway into the foyer, I could hear shouting. Link and Sheik were yelling at someone. A few steps more and I realized that they were yelling at _each other_. I sped up and all but burst into the ballroom to see Sheik pointing at Link's feet and Link failing his arms as he verbally tried to defend himself.

"..._I_'m the woman. I _follow_!" Sheik snapped.

"You told _me_ to follow!" Link quipped in a rapid defense.

"You weren't following anyway, you were dragging!"

"You were g-going too fast!" Link rarely stutters when he's angry.

"It is too much to ask that you improve after the hundredth time?"

"The hundredth time? You threw me on the dance floor and said "do this"."

"You're the one who wanted to learn to dance!"

"And to be taught be a teacher who doesn't lose his patience for after the first time!"

"I need a student who can actually remember the steps!"

"Great Raven fly over me the day I forget _to step to the left!_"

It's quite obvious that this fight, while rare, was not serious and I was amused for a minute that they didn't even notice me. Then I quickly got bored.

"Boys are so stupid..." I said to a passing servant who indulged my joking with a giggle. I startled Link but Sheik looked less-than-amused. "What were you two children bickering about?" This time Link was the one irritated.

"Link can't be taught." Sheik replied tartly. Link sighed and rolled his eyes as Sheik turned to him again. "With all the reading you do, I could imagine that you would at least be able to do it in theory. For someone so light on his feet, you seem to have trouble using them for anything besides running." Link appeared to be seething but issued a non lethal punch to the shoulder. He wasn't taking it personally and Sheik was just digging at him.

"You're an imp-p-patient teacher." Link replied simply. It was all he needed to say because it was true. I smothered a giggle behind my hand and I decided it was my turn to lovingly intervene. I summoned Link over with a wave of my hand.

"C'mere, let me show you how royalty does it." I said playfully.

"He's going to kill your feet." Sheik warned smirking. Link childishly stuck out his tongue and I giggled yet again. I waved him off and took Link's right and left hand placing one on my hip and the other I kept in my hand.

"It's like fighting, Link." I said smiling. The grunt from Sheik signified he hadn't thought of that analogy. "You have to be light..." For the first step, I took him back and he ended up nearly falling and taking me with him. Whereas Sheik would've been annoyed, I laughed it off. I turned to see him trying to spare Link's feeling by trying not to laugh too hard now that he saw the humor in the situation. "It's just like when you fight, you have to be aware of what's around you." Link recovered and we started again. I showed him the front, right and infamous left step. This time, he didn't trip. Judging by Sheik's flustered face, I had done it with a fraction of the difficulty. "Most of all, you have to be on your guard." I advised. "At the ball, there are going to be much more people on the dance floor. Stepping on your partner's feet that's embarrassing but stepping on someone else's partner is a little more so." We ended the dance with a bow. "One more thing." I said with a pointed finger. "Promise me you'll open up a little more." Link used to be social. Then, he only spoke to a single digit amount of people. Me, Sheik, Malon, Nabooru and occasionally Farik.

Speaking of the last person on that list, a castle guard strode into our midst dragging a very flushed and embarrassed Farik with him seconds after the word "more" left my mouth. He bowed to me and Sheik and nodded to Link before he spoke.

"Your highness, my lord, sir," Me, Sheik and Link in that order. "This man claims he is a friend of yours. You in particular Lord Sheik." Link and I turned to him and the look of utter shock on Sheik's face caused us to exchange puzzled glances. "He refused to leave until he's spoken with you."

"How long was he out there?" Sheik asked slowly never taking his eyes off of Farik. I sensed there was something more than a friendship in the works here.

"He's been outside since this morning." It was almost nightfall. "Sir, do you know him?"

"Yes, I do. Let him go." The guard seemed confused. "Now." The guard complied. "Farik is always welcome on the castle grounds." By this time, it had only just occurred to me that Sheik had always gone to visit Farik at Kakariko, he'd never come to the castle. Sheik stepped closely to his and quietly asked, "What are you doing here?" He asked in a voice that was more concerned than anything else. Farik smiled weakly, an odd look on someone that always struck me as the strong, suave type.

"I came to visit a good friend." He said looking ashamed. I felt like I was intruding on a private moment. By this time, Sheik forgot we were even in the room. I told the guard to make himself scarce as Farik struggled to find the words to explain himself to Sheik. "I don't know how to make up for everything I said. I don't know what to do." He paused and bent his head. For a second, it seemed as if he were crying. He probably was. Farik likes to make himself look like the smooth talking type, but he's really a big softy. "Sheik I...I'm so sorry." For a split second, there was nothing but silence and then the unexpected happened.

Sheik practically threw himself onto Farik. Not caring about the prying eyes and whispering servants for once, he kissed Karik with such force, they both nearly toppled over. Oh course, Farik was surprised for a minute but after a while, he didn't care. Looking back, this was a joyous occasion. Later, I'd found out that Farik and Sheik had been seeing each other for a year by then in secret and like all couples with two of the same gender, they'd run into the wall of whether to tell their loved ones or not. The argument had gotten out of hand and the two had ended up saying very hurtful things to each other. In fact, it almost tore them apart but Sheik's public display was his way of apologizing and telling everyone that he was in love with another man. I wish I could've seen the beauty in this moment when it happened.

Unfortunately, I was horrified and I stormed out of the ballroom. I expected everyone to be in an uproar and be just as dreadfully surprised as I was. I was afraid of what would happen to him. Sure there were whispers of disapproval, but the court didn't seem to care. Link was very excited for Sheik. The rumors had leaked into town. The older inhabitants didn't approve but there was no incredible uproar. Sheik confided in me later, that he feared he'd ruin my reputation or that my father's council. He also told me that he'd only ever been attracted to men. With Link, it was a little different.

I avoided Sheik for a while trying to block out all the rumors and whispers even going so far as forbidding my ladies-in-waiting to not speak when they were in my suite. Honestly, I was afraid for him, afraid of the backlash. I was constantly prepared for something terrible to happen. Every time I stepped out of my room, I was on edge. Link tried to ask what was wrong. He failed. I snapped at him.

I wasn't expecting this kind of conundrum so close to an important diplomatic mission. I thought that the Sheikah had ended the institution of these relationships long ago. The Gerudo openly practiced them. I could easily call myself close-minded, but you have to understand. All my life I had been taught that it was wrong to love someone with the same gender as you. The Priests in the Temple of Time even openly condemned it...but then again they've openly condemned the practice of recreational activities in the market place. Something about selfish indulgence. Rauru is not the man I used to know.

"Zelda." It was two days before the ball and I hadn't spoken to Sheik since. Then again he was barely aware of my absence anyway. He spent much of his time with Farik. It's safe to assume they spent much of their time "making up". The only person who seemed to be seriously bothered by my misgivings about their relationship was Link who'd after I snapped at him was continually distant with me. I was so zoned out, I didn't realize my father had been knocking on the door. "Zelda, are you in there?" I jumped to my feet.

"Coming!" I said minutes before opening the door. There stood my father with no royal vestments, just a normal casual clothes. He hated wearing the formal clothes royalty was known for wearing. "What's wrong?"

"I could ask you the very same thing, dearest." Father said walking into my suite. He sat on the couch and patted the spot next to him for me to sit with him and I did. I still had nightmares about my father being killed. Whenever I sat next to him in moments like this, my little girl instinct kicked in and I childishly snuggled close to him. "I see you've made your librarian quite upset." He was leading into the real problem but I tried to avoid it anyway.

"We just had a disagreement." I said leaning on his shoulder.

"Dearest, that boy can't stay mad at a single soul." It was true. I only knew of two people Link hated and both tried to destroy the world. "What really happened?" I groaned, reluctant to explain but I did anyway.

"You know about..."

"About Sheik? Of course I do. Impa and I have always known that he was a bit different." My father said with a chuckled. I was flabbergasted.

"But...but, but Daddy, countless teachers have taught me that it was wrong." I stood up and began to pace. "Every etiquette teacher I've had has told me..."

"Dearest...think for a moment." He said taking my hand and stopping my pacing. "Have you ever had an etiquette teacher for more than two years?" I stopped and thought for a moment. He was right. Naturally. "I relieved them of duty for the things they were teaching. If I had known that they would have this much of an effect on you I would've..." He sighed. "I'm sorry. This is my fault."

"Daddy, you have a kingdom. As a child, I've always understood that a lot of people besides me command your time." I reasoned. "And...and technically, these tutors have been teaching me for much longer than you think."

"Ah yes, the alternate time line." Father knew of it and believed me, but he never remembered any of it mostly because he died before it had even happened. He didn't like talking about it, it was his own death after all not to mention his best friend Impa was also killed. "Nonetheless Zelda, my absence in your life is something I deeply regret. Please, don't let my inability to be a suitable father..."

"Daddy, don't say that." I insisted. I sat back down next to him. Who's to say a twenty year old girl can't hug her father? "You are the man who raised me. I think I turned out pretty damn well, don't you think?" My father, not Impa taught me archery. I survived a war and lived to further bring peace to the kingdom. He and Impa are the best parents Sheik and I could ask for. Link still had yet to get used to the thought.

"I think this country will have one hell of a queen." He replied. "Still, don't let those women drive a wedge between you and the only siblings you've ever known. Sheik hasn't changed. He's going to face some friction though and who better to be there but the girl who's been there all his life?" He grinned at me. "It's still love."

The very next day, I found myself knocking on the door to Sheik's room. It was the day before the ball and I had a lot to make up for before then. Sheik came to the door half-dressed and with a rather large hickie on the lower part of his neck. I didn't comment on it. He was already self conscious, covering it up with his hand. He was afraid of what I was going to say but thanks to my father's words, I just smiled at him whilst I wrestled with my inner voice that sounded far too much like my old tutors. But I knew I could change my mind. I would change it for Sheik.

"Come on, we have breakfast in fifteen minutes. We have a big day ahead of us." I said cheerfully. A little louder I added, "You're welcome to join us Farik!" Just as I walked away I managed to catch the completely bewildered expression on Sheik's face.

Taking a breath and moving into the dining hall, I spied Link with his nose in a book and a pear in hand. No surprise. Link looked up at me for a long minute and I was pinned by his gaze, rooted to the floor. After a long minute, I sighed and figured he wanted me to explain myself. I had yet to apologize for biting off his head.

"I'm trying." I replied. "I really am. I'll be there for him." Link just gave me a weary smile and offered me a seat which I gladly took right before Sheik and Farik joined us. We talked amongst ourselves as we ate. While Farik and Link discussed a book, Sheik and I shared a glance over the table. He took my hand and gave it a little squeeze. _I know this isn't easy for you, but thank you._ I squeezed back.

It was the least I could do.

_So...how do you like it? Once again I love your reviews and everything you guys give me. You may sense a few political undertones in this chapter I assure you they were unintentional. I found I couldn't really write it any other way. I hope you appreciate Zelda's struggle with Sheik's relationship. It'll be an ongoing issue. Anyway I love you readers and I will be back with more for you...but probably not until May._

_Next up: Tzeros attends the ball, but he looks...different..._


	3. We Live

_I told you guys I'd be back in May! I'm so glad to finally have the time to write again. I will warn you, this chapter has some yaoi but it's mostly fluff. But I suppose poor Link deserves it right? Glad to be back ladies and gents. Now please, read on and enjoy yourselves._

We Live

As told by Tzeros

Tzeros

I grew up as a nomad. My parents were outcasts both disowned by their parents for marrying the "wrong" race. My mother always told me to never let others decide who you love. I guess that's why I am the way I am. When it comes to my sex life, let's just say I'm experienced and leave it at that. I mean...I don't want to brag or anything.

My parents found friends in the Zora Tribe of a country that I can't even remember the name of now but I remember Fa'rah, my mother's midwife and my spiritual mother. She as the one that named me in this lifetime. It wasn't until I met Link that I remembered _anything_ about Ganon, my father from a very different, very dark life.

I killed people. I watched them be tortured. I did nothing when my victims pleaded for their lives. I just...stared at them. Yet, in the pit of my stomach, there was a feeling of complete and utter disgust and regret. As odd as it sounds, I was proud of that feeling. I hadn't lost my humanity or my capacity for sympathy.

One particular moment I remember is when Ganon offered one of his female "toys" to me. He forced the poor girl into my room. She was broken, crying, and bruised. She begged me not to touch her when I approached her. She bargained and attempted to appeal to my better nature. She didn't have to worry. I took the blanket off my bed and wrapped it around her shoulders while I went off in search to find her better clothes and some food. It was a turning point for me. I decided then that I was tired of pain. Later, in my dreams, I kept seeing three blond haired children laughing and playing in a garden. That was the picture of happiness I had to hang onto. There was none of that in Ganon's world. And that seemed wrong to me.

The girl, who I came to know as Lys, became a friend. I developed a personality, a sense of humor but with it came crushing cynicism. I knew I just couldn't continue to let the world stay like it was. Lys told me about her father. She told me about the dress she once had. It was blue, her favorite. Her mother made it for her. He was an old doctor when they didn't have patients, they would sit outside usually by the Bombchu Game Gallery and watch the townspeople. "People watching" she called it. She told me her father and mother were still alive. So I decided to take her back to them. I helped her escape and I told Ganon, in my usual way, that she had killed herself which I regret to say, wasn't an uncommon fate among his slaves. I thought I had fooled him, but he knew and I was punished. Luckily, he didn't bother going after Lys but he never let me out of his sight after that. That's how I ended up in Zora's Domain, but by then, I refused to stand for any more of it.

By the time I left Gerudo Valley for Hyrule Castle, I'd been plagued with dreams and nightmares of that past. It was apparent on my face. I had gone a little pale, I lost my appetite. The sleep deprivation didn't help much either. I had to see Link. I had to talk with him.

I had to know everything.

Though Nabooru didn't remember anything about Ganondorf, she was understanding of my situation. She figured it had something to do with my past life. Technically, she was half right.

When we arrived in Hyrule Castle Town, there were so many rumors flying around we had to catch them with nets just so we could walk without being disturbed. I couldn't possibly list them all but many of them were about Link's surrogate brother Sheik who apparently had been in a relationship with another man in secret. Zelda claims that there wasn't a huge uproar about it. Oh, there was uproar, just very quiet uproar. This made me apprehensive and a little afraid. What would that mean for my relationship with Link. Could we even have one here? We'd be accepted in Gerudo Valley, but this place was his home...would he really want to leave?

I didn't forget these questions as I was escorted to my room. The King was going to great lengths to please us. I had to give it to him, he was doing quite well. It was very diplomatic of him, we did the same with our guests. It was a nice way to end the pointless race conflict of our grandparents. The king was lucky to have so many on his side, if he'd done this twenty years ago, he would have had a full scale uprising on his hands. We weren't introduced formally to the King just yet which was understandable considering the amount of formalities he and his family had to go through before that night. We were met with nobles and we dined with them before I dressed. They weren't as amicable as the King and his diplomats, but then again the Gerudo had a bad record with nobles and them...dying...no thanks to that flipping, rhyming...thing.

Dressing for the Ball, I found myself forgetting my nervousness. In fact, I was very excited get to see Link again. Out of consideration, however, I had to rethink how I wanted to greet him. If Sheik was garnering quite a bit of opposition, I didn't want to make it worse. According to Nabooru, people believed preferring to be with someone of the same sex was contagious. Quite ridiculous if you ask me.

Like Link, I'm not a fan of fancy clothing or titles, but Nabooru insisted that I be called "First Chair of the Temple Guard" and gave me new clothes to top it. Seeing as how she is the High Priestess of pretty much everything desert related, I couldn't, and still can't mind you, say no. The overall suit of clothes was astonishingly simple. It was the typical wine red of noble Gerudo vestments with a pair of black breeches. The long but thin coat I wore wasn't outside of my normal clothing preferences but I wore it anyway. After all that, I put my mother's necklace back on. I hardly ever took the thing off.

When the doors were opened before us, the crowd and music went silent. The Royal Ballroom was every bit as grand as you'd expect. The ball room was decorated with gold and red drapery in honor of the final union of Hyrule and the Gerudo. Yet, I paid no mind to it. Kol seemed very excited to meet the princess. He considered himself quite the Casanova while every girl he'd ever been with just considered him an idiot. A loveable idiot, but an idiot nonetheless. I didn't expect Zelda to fall for his clumsy ways at all.

I was lost in my excitement. I had to discipline myself to keep from grinning like an idiot at the thought of seeing Link again after a month. The urge was never so strong until now. I felt it. The yearning he must've felt all these years. Seven years. By The Lady, I could only stand it for a month. When the crowd parted we met the royal family who sat at the head of the room. My eyes went right past Zelda, the king, Sheik and Farik to land on an uncomfortable looking Link who face softened considerably upon seeing me. By the Goddess, he was lovely. With that golden hair pouring from his head and his green formal wear, I felt as if I would melt or break all sense of protocol and just run up to kiss him. I was amazed at the amount of self control I had. Link too considering the kind of couple we are now.

"...With our utmost respect and gratitude. In honor of this long overdue union, we invite everyone to celebrate." Our eye contact was suddenly interrupted by Zelda's voice. When had she stood up or started talking for the matter? There was light polite applause as expected of the rich masses. The music began with a typical stately waltz. Out of courtesy, The King took Nabooru's hand and asked for a dance to which she accepted. Those two would get along in spite of the nearly twenty year difference in age. What surprised me was the way Kol and Zelda stared at each other before they didn't even bother with pleasantries and bowing and started dancing. Link and I tried to be casual as we strode toward each other.

"Hello, Master Link."

"Sir Tzeros. It's good to see you again." My chest spilled over with a stunning amount of sappy, sugary emotion too embarrassing to say out loud to anyone but Link. We shared a smile and spared a look back at our friends. "They'll be okay without us." Link said quietly and he nodded his head over to the balcony. Grinning, I nodded in response. We ignored the sparse stares we received as we walked out as if we were two men who didn't feel like dancing and were more focused on seeing the sunset. Which was quite beautiful in it's own right but that wasn't what I had my attention on.

The balcony was large the double doors that opened to it, didn't fill the entire back wall. Between the door and the railing on both sides, there are blind spots with a good yard or two of wall. I pushed Link gently back onto the right portion of that blind spot and kissed him. Now it was his turn to be surprised but he wasn't for long. The surprise kiss is very popular in Hyrule it seems. It was the first real kiss we shared in seven years.

"I missed you." Was all I could say. I was answered by a sweet smile from Link. A silent "you too" from my man of few words. I went for a second not-so-surprising kiss. I can describe the way he tasted without sounding like a complete sap but...by the Goddess...I could only think of wanting to spend the rest of my life with that taste dancing around in my mouth. We were safe for a moment in that spot together with my forehead resting on his with my arms around his waist and his calloused hands on my face filled with so much peace, we were silent. We broke apart when we heard voices coming too close to the window. Our faces were a little flushed but we found ourselves chuckling at our own nervousness.

"Maybe we should g-go back." Link offered. "We can ta-alk later. People will start to ask questions." I agreed.

"Meet me in the atrium in two hours?" I asked. He smiled again.

"Of course."

Just as we walked back in, there was a loud and embarrassing crash. The first thing that crossed my mind was "International Incident". Really, it was really just an accident. Kol for all his charisma and intelligence, is a walking disaster. Lady of the Sand, Bless him but he is so damn clumsy. Clumsy enough to trip of a nearby dancer tumble into a maid who was nearly knocked over but instead ended up dropping the tray that she was carrying, and fall backwards to taking Zelda, who let out a rather high pitched yelp, with him. For a long dreadful second of steel-like silence, I feared the worst.

Kol started to laugh, quickly followed by a very amused Zelda.

Then Sheik laughed, then Link, then the King. When the king started laughing, everyone finally saw it was safe. He helped hapless Kol to his feet and dusted him off. Kol took a bow. That Charisma was kicking in finally.

"Thank you Ladies and gentleman, please feel free to commission me for any special occasion." He said. Sufficiently loosened up, the crowd began to applaud. So did I, in spite of myself. I should've noticed then that Zelda and Kol were made for each other. It took me a few more months to realize it. The music began again and they continued to dance. Link found himself dancing with Malon whose current boyfriend was looking on with a hint of jealousy. If only he knew. I ended up dancing with a female noble who was nice enough but eventually grew tired of me avoiding her advances and moved on to another more "available" man. My two hours were up and none too soon.

Link and I left within five minutes of each other understandably eager. After meeting in the atrium. Link led me to his room. I gave and appreciative whistle. The room was very large with two windows that had an incredible view of Hyrule Castle town and a little beyond. Without a word, he opened both of his windows and I could hear the music from the ball flowing in. I vaguely realized we were right above the ballroom.

"Ironic-c-cally, I spent a lot of t-time helping prepare for this ball." Link stated wryly. "I think I just wanted to be closer to you. I wish we c-c-could dance." I chuckled and held out a hand.

"Who said we can't? We have the music." Slowly, he took my hand and a pulled him gently towards me. We didn't even bother with the overly ceremonial waltz. According to Sheik, he would've killed my feet anyway. With my hand on his waist and his head on my shoulder, we just swayed back and forth. It was all we needed. At first, I felt guilty that Sheik was out there facing the wolves and we had gone out of our way to have enjoy ourselves in private. In hindsight, Link wouldn't have been ready for it. We wouldn't have been able to explain ourselves.

"I want to know." I said suddenly. Link looked up at me with an expression that I can only describe as mild surprise and trepidation. "I need to know everything, please."

"Are you..."

"I'm sure." I replied. Link let go of me and with a nod went over to one of the bookshelves in his room. With a decisive pull, he chose a simple leather bound journal. He'd written it all down. Everything I had told him in that former life. After all these years, he remembered every word. He placed the book in my hands. "This...has everything?" I asked shocked. He nodded.

"Verbatim."

I looked at the world with new understanding that day. I wondered if there were more alternate realities. Link confirmed that there were. He told me briefly about Termina. He mentioned time travel...but not much else. His body went slack and he hugged himself, shaking a little. I didn't press the subject. I wrapped my arm around him and continued to read. I nearly cried reading about my mother, there was still a little bit of the old me who wept for his doomed mother and I still mourned for my parents who I'd lost only two years before then. I came to the end of the journal entries and I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. I set the book down before I could finish. I couldn't really describe what I was feeling. I was on the verge of tears again. That was the most emotional I had been since my parents passed on. Link's warm hand touched mine and a found myself grabbing it tightly.

"Tzeros..."

"I'm sorry." It was all I could say for the moment. There was so much guilt, sorrow...more than I knew what to do with. My past life had barely reached resolution. If it hadn't been for Link...I would have died horribly. Either by punishment, or by my own hand and to ask him to kill me was...selfish. I wanted to spend as much time with him as I could, hang on to that little bit of light in my life. It was too much to ask. "I'm so sorry." Link's hands went to my face and he turned me to face him and he smiled.

"You're here now." He said. "That's w-what we can focus on." He looked down and went back to my hands. Suddenly, I knew what Kol was talking about. He may have been better but I could see traces of trauma all over him. It made me want to protect him, and make up for all those years of leaving him alone.

"It still hurts. Doesn't it?" I asked.

"Yes." Link said smiling sadly. "Maybe...one day I ca-an tell you. About the Shad-d-dow Temp-ple, Term-m-mina, the moon...everything." Link still has yet to say anything about the Shadow Temple and I don't expect him to. The only person who knows is Sheik and it's _never_ mentioned. Ever. "But...I c-can't continue to think on things that have...already happened. Right now, we live." We live. Truer words had never been spoken. Link lived through hell, the end of the world, torture, and suicide. He came out on the other side to live on his own terms.

"We live." I repeated. "...Together?" A wide, broad smile parted Link's face. We kissed and pressed our foreheads together.

"Yes, together." He said. Suddenly, Link felt much lighter. His shoulders loosened. He always tells me that this was the day that he finally found what he'd been looking for. I couldn't resist going in for another kiss. He accepted me gladly and suddenly something happened to us, something went off in our brains and heat spread throughout our bodies. I wasn't a virgin when I met Link, I knew what this sensation was, but Link didn't quite know and I was willing to let him explore it as we ended up in a full-on open mouthed kiss. His hands still love my face. When we kiss, he always touches my face. For a moment, we were lost, breathless yet somehow in sync. Somehow his back ended up on the bed. Our sore lips parted and I leaned down to taste the rest of his skin. I kissed his neck and he let out the smallest of moans, a soft little mewl that grabbed me from pit of my stomach and increased my need almost ten-fold.

I don't know if it was my hands, my lips or what I said, but I felt Link freeze. I felt the fear go down his spine. It was like a spasm. I broke off, but he ended up pushing me anyway. For a moment, just a moment, he looked terrified and I could tell the person he saw or heard wasn't me. Almost instantly coming to his senses, he noticed he was out of breath and he placed a hand on his chest as if that would help him control it.

That's when I remembered Lys. She flinched at every touch and pushed away when someone got too close. Seeing the same look on Link's face was like someone slowly putting pins through my heart.

"I-I-I'm sorry." ...And one knife. After a long silence, I tried to determine whether or not Link wanted me to come near him or not.

"What was his name?" I asked, unable to keep the anger from surfacing. The image of me killing the rat bastard who violated him kept running through me head.

"Orlo." Link replied. His hands were shaking again so I took them in my own.

"Is he still alive?" Link shook his head silently. I sighed in relief. I wished I knew where "Orlo's" grave was so I could piss on it. Link scooted closer to me and laid his head on my now bear chest and I found my arms around him again. "Do you want me to leave?" I asked. Link didn't answer verbally, he just stubbornly wrapped his arms around my neck. Over the years, I've learned that this means, if you leave I will follow you and I will make you sorry you even left the room with weeks of sex deprivation. We laid in the bed together that night doing nothing, saying only a few words. This was how we spent our last night together in the Water Temple. This was as intimate as we needed to be. We talked occasionally, kissed a few times but mostly we just laid there next to other wrapped up together. Eventually, we fell asleep until Link's nightmare hit.

Zelda and Sheik will describe his screaming as "unbearable" and "terrible" but there really is no word for it exactly. You want to cry just hearing them. I'm not sure what's worse, the screaming...or the pleading. Even now, Link's dreams are rarely good but his _nightmares_ are a rare kind of horrible. Depending on what triggered the dream, only Sheik can bring him out of it and if he's not there, the dream has to run it's course. Sometimes, they are simply random. This nightmare...it was the first time I'd seen anything like it, he was actually doing harm to himself, clawing his own skin as if there was something on his that just wouldn't get off.

I tried to wake him. I shook him and I only made it worse. He started clawing _me_. It was then Sheik and Zelda rushed in. Sheik all but pushed me out of the way and understandably so. I wasn't helping in any way. I have yet to understand his Shadow magic but with a few muttered words, Sheik can bring Link out of any nightmare. It has something to do with the Shadow Temple. I know it does but I never ask. Link's eyes flew open and at first he said nothing, his bleary state wouldn't allow him. He just stood and left for the water closet where he promptly began to vomit. Worried, Zelda followed him to help being him back down to reality. I didn't even have time to wince when Sheik turned on me standing to his feet.

"What did you do?" It wasn't a question so much an accusation. Judging by his deepening glare, he was slowly becoming aware of my partial nudity. He looked like he wanted to pull a knife on me. "Why are you in here?"

"Nothing we fell...asleep together." Halfway through that sentence, I realize how terrible that sounded. "This looks bad, doesn't it?"

"You are in no position to joke." He was seething. He was thinking of every conceivable thing that could happen between two men that would cause a shirt to come off. \None of them were good.

"I wasn't joking." I wasn't doing a very good job of defending myself either, I just realized what delicate situation I was in. "We were just catching up. That's all, I swear. We fell asleep." I said earnestly. He was still skeptical until Zelda came back in and spoke to me first.

"Are you Tzeros?" She asked. Sheik's eyes went wide and he gazed back at me. He didn't remember my name until now. I nodded.

"Link's asking for you." She said with a smile. I brushed past a nonplussed Sheik and strode into the water closet where Link was sitting on the floor leaning against the wall. He looked up and when he saw me walk in and he smiled. I joined him on the floor and silently wrapped an arm his shoulders and he leaned on me. I have to say, it's wonderful to be able to do that everyday now. Outside, I could hear Zelda and Sheik talking.

"What was he even doing in here?" Zelda asked.

"He and Link go way back. I'm sure they were just talking and lost track of time." Sheik replied. As much as we argue, Sheik and I will unconditionally stick up for each other and it wasn't until Link fell back asleep that Sheik saw fit to threaten me. It was the first of many.

"You'd better not be lying." He said coldly before shutting the door with a decisive slam.

The night, I decided I would be there for Link after every nightmare.

The next morning I offered to stay with Kol, who was now acting ambassador. Nabooru automatically accepted as if she had anticipated this all along. I hate it when she does that. We organized yearly visits every winter to Gerudo Valley so we would always have home to go back to. Kol and I are men of the desert after all, Hylian winters don't agree with us. I spent my nights with Link and Zelda slowly started to catch on what was happening. She wasn't happy at first, but she tried to understand. It was Kol who truly changed her mind. I think if it wasn't for him, she'd still close her eyes every time Link and I kiss. Link tried to explain it to her delicately.

"It's d-different with me." He said. "If Tzeros was female, I-I'd still feel the same way about him." Link told me he didn't really feel attracted to anyone else but me. I felt a little selfish but I was honored. His sexual preference was limited to the person he loved. I just happened to be lucky enough to be that person.

Two years passed in this way. Kol and I helped maintain the political relationship with the Gerudo Nation and Hyrule. Link and I spent nights together, but not exactly intimate even though we got dangerously close on many occasions.

Over those two years, Kol and Zelda developed a language of their own. They finished each other's sentences, formed and unwritten system of inside jokes and fell into fits of laughter over absolutely nothing. I don't think they were even aware they were falling for each other until they ended up accidentally kissing after drinking just a little too much wine.

Farik and Sheik were slowly accepted into the masses more and more couples like theirs and mine and Link's seemed to be showing their faces. The support for them overwhelmed the criticism and people like us were finally comfortable with being out in public. Still, Sheik and Farik will forever be the men who had the strength of spirit to expose their relationship for everyone to see. I will always admire them for that. I suppose that's why I got so angry when Rauru refused to marry them.

Kol and I had been toying with the idea of taking Sheik, Link and Zelda back with us to Gerudo Valley for the winter for vacation's sake. With Sheik's depression over being denied marriage, we finally made up our minds. After a brief agreement from Zelda and Sheik and finally from the King, we sat Farik and Sheik to dinner.

"Nabooru will marry you guys." I said killing the tactful plan that Kol had to break the news to them. "It's not a traditional Hylian wedding but it's something."

"Would she agree to it?" Farik asked incredulously.

"Nabooru once had a female mate. Of course she would." I insisted. It was the first time I saw both men smile since being denied. I swear Sheik nearly cried. "She's the High Priestess. Anything she says goes. With policies bring like they are, that would force Rauru to recognize your marriage as legally binding." We spent most of the night planning. One particular moment I remember from that night is Link laughing...out loud. I'd never heard him do that before and judging by the look on everyone's faces, he never had. That was a good night. It was almost dawn when we all headed to bed.

"Tzeros!" Sheik jogged a bit to catch up with me.

"Hm?" Instead of the usual backhanded compliment, my response was a hug. Something I always got from Link or Zelda but _never_ from Sheik. We had been too vitriolic and we had too much fun arguing to be truly brotherly to each other.

"Thank you. So much." I gave him a little squeeze then he pulled back and punched me in the shoulder. "You tell anyone about this little moment and you're dead."

Amusingly enough, I don't think I ever have.

_Well well, how'd you like it? Please don't hesitate to let me know in the form of a review. This timeskip of two years is going to lead to some not-so-linear storytelling so heads up._

_**Also**: I am writing a new and much darker (you knew right?) story titled **The Good Doctor.** The Pilot/test chapter is out right now, so please read that and tell me what you think._

_As always, I love you readers. You're the best and you give me motivation like you wouldn't believe._

_-East._


End file.
